Home >> Inhalation Toxicology, Volume 21, Supplement 1 to issue 1

Single-walled carbon nanotubes impair human macrophage engulfment of apoptotic cell corpses

Authors: Witasp, Erika1; Shvedova, Anna A.2; Kagan, Valerian E.; Fadeel, Bengt1

Source: Inhalation Toxicology, Volume 21, Supplement 1 to issue 1, July 2009 , pp. 131-136(6)

Publisher: Informa Healthcare

Buy & download fulltext article:

OR

Price: $33.00 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) are being produced in increasing quantities and the application of these materials in a large number of new technologies and consumer products necessitates studies of their potential impact on human health and the environment. To determine whether SWCNT affect viability or function of macrophages, important components of the innate immune system, we performed in vitro studies using primary human monocyte-derived macrophages (HMDM). Our findings show that SWCNT with a low content of metal impurities do not exert direct cytotoxic effects on HMDM. However, SWCNT suppressed chemotaxis of primary human monocytes in a standard chemotaxis assay. Moreover, macrophage engulfment of apoptotic target cells was significantly impaired following pre-incubation of HMDM with SWCNT at non-cytotoxic concentrations. These results are in line with previous studies showing that ultrafine carbon particles and carbon nanotubes may impair alveolar macrophage ingestion of microorganisms, and suggest that tissue homeostasis may be compromised by SWCNT due to suppressive effects on macrophages.

Keywords: Single-walled carbon nanotubes; human monocyte-derived macrophages; phagocytosis; chemotaxis; cytotoxicity

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08958370902942574

Affiliations: 1: 1Division of Biochemical Toxicology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden 2: 2Pathology/Physiology Research Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Morgantown, West Virginia, USA

Publication date: 2009-07-01

More about this publication?
Related content
Marked list

Key

Free Content
Free content
New Content
New content
Open Access Content
Open access content
Subscribed Content
Subscribed content
Free Trial Content
Free trial content

Text size:

A | A | A | A
^ Back to top
Share this item with others: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. print icon Print this page